1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to Internet-based communication systems, and more particularly to text-based Internet communications system such as instant messaging and on-line chat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Text-based Internet communication systems such as instant messaging and chat over a data communications link have become increasingly popular due to the substantially real time nature of the communication, low cost, and simplicity of use. The instant messaging or chat (IM/chat) client typically has a message text window in which an incoming text-based instant message (IM) can be presented to an end user. IMs that are sent by the end user through the IM/chat client also can appear in the message text window.
IM/chat systems work well for many communications, but there are times when clients would prefer voice communications. For example, on occasion the contents or subject matter of an IM/chat session can give rise to a desire for voice communications. In such instances, it is usually necessary to terminate the IM/chat session, drop the data communications link, and establish a voice communications link through known methods such as conventional telephony over the publically switched telephone network (PSTN). In such instances, the spontaneity of the conversation is lost, and details of the conversation can be forgotten. The voice communications link sometimes cannot be established, in which case all communications, both data and voice, are terminated. In other instances, the extra steps necessary to establish a voice communications link impedes some from establishing such a link even when a voice link can be necessary or desirable.
Conventional IM/chat systems also can support the exchange of attachments. Attachments are electronic files such as images, documents, or binary objects which can be attached to an IM and transmitted therewith from a sender to a recipient. Attachments can be embedded in a labeled section of an IM such that an IM/chat client processing the IM can identify the presence of an attachment and can decode the contents of the attachment so that the attachment can be further processed by the recipient. Hence, attachments can enhance the utility of exchanging IMs and can provide a supplemental medium for communicating ideas between participants in an IM/chat session.
Still, IM and IM attachments are not always an adequate replacement for live voice conversations between IM/chat session participants, particularly where extensive interaction between the participants is necessary or desirable. In some instances, live voice conversations are necessary to explain or discuss the message text included in the IM, attached documents, or audio/visual files. Moreover, a telephone sometimes is not available to the participants, or the use of a telephone requires lengthy dialing procedures which interrupt the spontaneity of the communication. Sometimes telephone access by the participants requires that at least one of the participants terminate an on-line connection to the Internet, which further can disrupt the process of discussing the contents of an IM.
The aforementioned difficulties further can be exacerbated when more than two parties need to be involved within a given IM communication chain. Moreover, inclusion of more than two parties within an IM/chat session assumes that each party's IM/chat client has the capability of handling IM/chat sessions with more than two other IM/chat clients simultaneously and within a single text window. If so, though the sending party can be identified easily, it can be difficult to determine the party to which a particular IM is directed. If an IM client only supports two-way IM communications, the parties must initiate multiple two-way IM sessions. In that case, IMs can be sent in a serial fashion from one party to the next, resulting in duplicate information being transmitted to each party within the IM chain. This redundant transmission of data can result in unnecessary communication delays between the parties. For example, the content of an IM can be retyped and re-sent to several different parties before ultimately reaching the proper party.